Dispensing package



0t.6,1942. F. w. NITARDY 2,297,690

DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed OCT.. 20, 1958 INV'ENITOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 194,2

DISPENSING PACKAGE Ferdinand W. Nitardy, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to E. R. Squibb & Sons, New York, N. Y., a `corporation of New York s Application October 20, 1938, Serial No. 235,968

` Claims.

This inventionv4 relates to collapsible tube packages, especially packages for products which seep readily or are adversely affected by exposure to the atmosphere.

Collapsible-tube packagesare commonly sealed by closures such as synthetic-plastic screw caps. Such closures, however, have the disadvantage that they become loosened in storage or transit; (because ofthe difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the metalof the tube and the synthetic plastic of the cap), and hence permit the seepage of oily, soapy, or glycerinated products, or permit the access of the atmosphere to products having a tendency to dry or otherwise deteriorate. Moreover, some types of collapsible tubes cannot be made to receive a screw cap, and hence are diilicult to seal effectively.

It is the object of this invention to provide a collapsible-tube package having a simple and inexpensive, yet fully-protective, seal, and a method of preparing such package.-

Essentially the package of this invention comprises a collapsible tube having an outlet, a product in the tube, and a plug of expressible solid material in the bore of the tube between the product and the outlet, preferably in a constricted portion of the bore, as at the junction of the shoulder and neck of the tube. Such a package is conveniently prepared by holding a collapsible tube in the normal inverted filling position, placing the plug of expressible, solid material in the bore of the tube at its outlet end,

filling the tube, and sealing the open end the usual manner.

The plug of expressible solid materialfunctions as a barrier, preventing leakage of the` and scopic substance, such as glycerine or calcium/ chloride.

The invention is iluustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figs. l and 2 are part elevation, part axial sections of packages embodying this invention;

,` tageous for such packages, since the product I3 for the plug should be both impervious and inert to the product in the tube, and the presence thereof in the product when administered should be unobjectionable. Thus, a plug of a water-immiscible material, such as petrolatum is effective for the packaging of aqueous products, such as shaving cream; and a plug of an aqueous material, such as a jelly of gelatin, starch, or a gum is effective for the packaging of water-immiscible products, such as ointments. Advantageously, such aqueous plug material is admixed with a non-drying 0I' hYgI'O- 55 tube shoulder and the applicator.

is kept out of the applicator before use. The outlet end of the applicator may be provided with a closure I5 (of rubber or other suitable material) to keep the interior. lclean.

The\\package of` Fig. 1 is conveniently pre-` pared by holding the tube in normal, inverted, lling position, placing the plug in the bore at the junction of the tube shoulder and applicator, filling the tube, and sealing the open end by means of an interfold and clip I4 in the usual manner. Alternatively, if the product is sufficiently thick, the tube may be filled iirst and sealed in the usual manner, then inverted, and the liqueed plug material (e. g., melted petrolatum) dropped into the outlet end of the applicator to congeal at the junction of the applicator and shoulder.

The package shown inj Fig. 2 comprises a collapsible tube 20 and screw cap 2I of the usual type, provided with a plug`-22 of expressible solid material which supplements the cap as a closure, to protectthe product 23. This package is conveniently prepared by filling the cup of cap 2I with the expressible solid material, and screwing the cap upon the neck of the tube, the material being thus spread over the lip, neck, and threads of the tube; alternatively, the neck of the tube may be dipped into the previously liqueed, expressible solid material, and the cap then applied.

The package shownin Fig. 3 comprises a collapsible tube 30, having an elongated applicator neck 3I covered by a correspondingly shaped screw cap 33, the latter having a washer 34 seating on the outlet of the applicator. The package is effectively sealed by a plug 32 of expressible solid material in the bore at the junction of the The seal of this invention is especially advantageous for bicameral collapsible tube packages such as that shown in Fig. 4, which comprises an outer collapsible tube 43 and a concentric inner Ycollapsible tube 4I having guide lugs 46, the two chambers formed thereby being lled with mutually reactive ingredients 45 and 41. Intercommunication between these ingredients is barred by a plug 42 of expressible solid material m the bore of the inner tube at its outlet into the outer tube. The outer tube is provided with the usual screw cap 2 I, and, preferably, such closure is supplemented by a plug 44 of expressible solid material. Gn removing cap 2| and squeezing outer tube 43, pressure is transmitted throughout both tubes, forcing plugs 42 and 44 out and dispensing the contents of the tubes in intermixed condition.

The expressible material used for the plugs should, of course, be deformable and suiiiciently solid to prevent undesired movement of the contents in the packages of Figs. 1 and 3. It may be Viscous, plastic, gummy, pasty, or unctuous in character, for example: petrolatum; pitch and other bituminous products; parain, ceresin, and other waxes; wax-resin mixtures, which may be softened by oils; stearin and other fats; sterols and other solid alcohols; aqueous jellies, which may be glycerinated, glycolated, or otherwise rendered non-drying; gelatin, isinglass, and glue; gums, pectin, agar, starch, dextrin, and non crystallizing sugar; and mixtures of these.

The invention may be variously otherwise embodied, within the scope of the appended claims.

. solid material in the bore of the tube at its outlet end, at least part of the plug Within the tube being of larger diameter than the outlet.

2. A collapsible tube having a shoulder and a neck, and an impervious plug of deformable and expressible solid material in the bore of the neck and extending beyond the junction of the shoulder yand the neck the plug extension being of larger diameter than the bore of the neck.

3. A package comprising a collapsible tube having an outlet, a product in the tube, and an impervious plug of deformable and expressible solid material in the bore of the tube. between the product and the tube outlet, at least part of the plug within the tube being of larger diameter than the outlet.

4. A bicameral collapsible tube comprising an outer collapsible tube, a concentric inner collapsible -tub-e having an outlet communicating with the outer tube, and an impervious plug of deformable and expressible solid material in the bore of the inner tube at its outlet end.

5. A bicameral collapsible-tube package comprising a set of collapsible tubes providing two intercommunicating chambers, mutually reactive ingredients in the chambers, and an impervious plug of deformable and expressible solid material barring intercommunication between these ingredients.

FERDINAND W. NITARDY. 

